Living with aging

LIVING WITH AGING - EMERGING CHALLENGES Dr.T.V.Rao.MD Populations around the world are rapidly ageing; this is a causefor celebration. In part it reflects our successes in dealing withchildhood diseases, maternal mortality and in helping womenachieve control over their own fertility. Everyone who is born iscertain to the inevitable process of aging, in the past it was not muchunderstood scientifically and impact of living was not a burden whenthere were few social concerns, and combined family life and livingneeds were minimum. The fact that elderly people can and do leadactive and happy lives is a blessing for all of us. But it would be amistake to ignore the changes brought on by aging societies and tothink matters can simply continue as before with no negativeconsequences. Death and dying are just a part of aging. As thescience and society and human contorts have increasing, livingcontinues to be a challenge for everyone in future, how weunderstand makes it great difference. The study of aging -gerontology - is a relatively new science that has made incredibleprogress over the last 30 years. In the past, scientists looked for asingle theory that explained aging. There are two main groups ofaging theories. The first group states that aging is natural andprogrammed into the body, while the second group of aging theoriessay that aging is a result of damage which is accumulated over time.In the end, aging is a complex interaction of genetics, chemistry,physiology and behaviour. The current proposed and reviewedtheory says the link between genes and lifespan is unquestioned.Studies have demonstrated that genetics can play a major role inaging. No matter what genes you have inherited, your body iscontinually undergoing complex biochemical reactions. Some ofthese reactions cause damage and, ultimately, aging in the body.

Studying these complex reactions is helping researchers understandhow the body changes as it ages. Many challenges are individual andmajor challenges will have impact on global health and economy. Atthe global level, the number of those over age 60 is projected by theUN Population Division to increase from just under 800 million today(representing 11% of world population) to just over 2 billion in 2050(representing 22% of world population). World population isprojected to increase 3.7 times from 1950 to 2050, but the numberof those aged 60 and over will increase by a factor of nearly 10.Among the elderly, the “oldest old” – i.e., those aged 80 and over – isprojected to increase. Two major issues which have impact are non-communicable diseases, and financial resources, population agingalso signals the advent of a tremendous challenge: the tidal wave ofnoncommunicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are currently responsiblefor roughly 60% of all deaths and nearly half of the loss of actual andeffective life years due to disability and death. They range from asignificant to a dominant cause of disability and death in high- andlow-income countries in every world region, and among people whoare classified as old and not old (working-age adults). The mostimportant NCDs are cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, andchronic respiratory disease. These diseases share four modifiable riskfactors – tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, and theharmful use of alcohol – and one non-modifiable risk factor: age.Concerning is the fact that many people living with NCDs areundiagnosed, which often results in later and more costly treatment.Indeed, treatment and care costs tend to be relatively high for NCDs,with the prospect of even greater costs as expensive new medicaltechnologies are introduced and access to public health carebecomes increasingly universal.

Many of us never think we live long as it happens with many ofus, If Id known I was going to live this long, Id have taken better careof myself." So said Eubie Blake, the great ragtime composer andpianist who was still performing at the age of 99, the year before hisdeath. Lets face it: old age is what lies ahead. If youre 40 or 50 oreven 60, you might not give much thought to the health challengesof aging. Nobody can predict the future of any individual, we mustcertainly one among many groups, as we are all getting older, someof us faster than others. Some of us will age in place, living at homewith help from a spouse of children. Some of us will need hired helpto continue to live at home. And some of us will move into assistedliving or nursing home facilities. None of this is easy, for those whobelieve in eternal life, death is not the end but merely a penultimatestage in our journey, a journey in preparation for our life in unionwith God and our creator. Normative changes in function also occurwith aging. For example, aging is accompanied by declines in visualand auditory acuity, a slowing of reaction and response times,declines in motor skills and agility, and changes in cognitiveprocesses such as lapses in memory and attention. Thus there is aclear need for strategies to help healthy older people remainproductive and independent and to ensure that those who are frailor disabled receive care and support so that they can live in theircommunities for as long as possible. Simultaneously with the aging ofthe population, we are witnessing unprecedented development andthe diffusion of technology into all aspects of everyday life.Currently, all forms of technology, including computers,communications, safety, and health monitoring devices, are beingused to perform routine tasks and activities. The use of technologyhas become an integral component of work, education,communication, and entertainment. Strategies include: theprovision of state funded basic pensions adequate to protect older

people against extreme poverty, the provision of basic primaryhealth care and mechanisms to support the long term care of thosewith functional loss. Perhaps above all, there needs to be a greateremphasis on health itself, through policies that serve to preventchronic disease and foster the on-going social engagement of olderpeople. The commercial interests exploit the elderly people, as thereis no evidence-based proof that dietary supplements delay or stopaging. This is a big area of nutrition quackery. BEWARE! Remember,there is a lot of evidence-based proof that taking some supplementsINCREASES cancer rate, for example lung cancer. Smokers who takebeta-carotene supplements have higher lung cancer rates thansmokers not taking these supplements. Therefore, the risk/benefitratio is in favour of NOT taking SUPPLEMENTS to retard aging. Peopleshould accept real life theories in anticipation of events which arecertain to happen, Bernice Neugarten describes tasks that must beaccomplished for successful aging. Some of these tasks include:Accepting reality and the imminence of death. Coping with physicalillness. Accepting the necessity of being dependent on outsidesupport while still making independent choices that can givesatisfaction. Unlike many developed Nations our health care systemis seriously ill. We need a new definition of old age. Traditionalcaregivers are unavailable, and the demand for eldercare isincreasing. It’s time to re-invent long-term care. The system rarelyhelps in a developing nation, as we have no away except to take careof ourselves follow a positive attitude “. Staying positive takespractice. Draw upon a lifetime of successes and experiences. It’snever too late to make a fresh start. Religion and faith becomesultimate solace in many aged people various expressions ofspirituality. Those who are spiritually active stay healthier, use lesshealth care expenditure, and manage stress better. Some see agingas advanced training for soul. Spirituality can help us transcend even

the decline and death of the physical body. As for old age, embraceand love it. It abounds with pleasure if you know how to use it. Thegradually declining years are among the sweetest in a person’s life.”(Seneca) However life continues to be acceptance of one’sDestiny?Emaildoctortvrao@gmail.com

Living with aging

by tumalapalli venkateswara rao on Jul 09, 2012

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Living with aging Document Transcript